Sediments as Indicators of Petrochemical Industrial Effluents

Abstract

Sediments of the Kama River in area of effluents of the petrochemical industries were investigated. Analysis of whole-sediment samples were included grain size, metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and total petroleum hydrocarbons. The results of the study demonstrated that the content of Al, Fe, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb was growing in sediments with different sorption capacity: sand<silty sand<silt. The trend of increase of Fe, Mn, Pb, Cu, Cr, Ni, Zn along the current of the Kama River was noted. The coefficient of enrichment showed that metals content in sediments is connected with natural processes of washing away of minerals. There were no standards exceeding neither sum PAH no separate components. Naphthalene (0.5-183.5 μg/kg) and acenaphthene (<0.5-33.3 μg/kg) made the main contribution to mass PAH content, content of chrysene in the area of petrochemical industries effluents was in range 8.4-44.7 μg/kg much more in comparison with other stations. Based on the ratio of marker PAH, most of samples are characterized by mixed type of PAH coming to the water course: from the oil production activity and fuel burning.